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Paid Parental Leave extension announcement welcomed by HRC

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The Human Rights Commission has today welcomed news that the Government will be introducing legislation to extend the amount of Paid Parental Leave to 26 weeks by 2020.

Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Dr Jackie Blue says the announcement will be welcome news to kiwi families who want to spend more time with their new babies by lessening financial pressures.

“Spending time with a newborn is so important for mums and dads, as well as the baby. It is great to see the Government is providing them with the funding that will enable them to do this,” Dr Blue says.

Dr Blue also says it is important that the discussion around this legislation also encourages more dads to share the Parental leave allowance where possible.

“Mum’s who take time out of their career to look after their children generally never make up any ground they lose in that time. I hope that their leave extension will encourage more dads to take leave as well to help close the gender pay gap and lessen the impact of the motherhood penalty.”

Australian Ministers warned against travel to NZ – Auckland Peace Action

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“A day after Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull again rejected New Zealand’s offer to resettle some refugees held in prison gulags on Manus Island, he has been warned not to visit New Zealand as he may face arrest on charges of crimes against humanity,” said Auckland Peace Action member Hamish Noonan.

“Members of Auckland Peace Action have today delivered a warning to both Malcolm Turnbull and to Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton that their failure to save the lives of 700 innocent people will result in arrest warrants being sought should they try to come to New Zealand. The group delivered the warning to the Australian Consulate at lunchtime.”

“The matter is already before the International Criminal Court (ICC), and of course New Zealand is a signatory to the Rome Statute so we have jurisdiction to take action against perpetrators of crimes against humanity and war crimes.”

“Earlier this year, the Global Legal Action Network (Glan) and the Stanford International Human Rights Clinic put a mass of evidence before the ICC of the abuses inside the camps. The closure of the camp at Manus, and the plan by the Australian government to leave the 700 people on the island actually compounds the culpability of the Prime Minister and Minister of Immigration in horrific crimes.”

“The people who sought refuge in Australia have been left for dead on Manus. We say its well past time that the New Zealand government takes action to rescue these people and bring them here.”

https://www.facebook.com/akpeaceaction/videos/1931080810486432

Parents can focus on the important things with new policy – CTU

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Mums and dads can focus on the important things with better paid parental leave

Mums, dads and other caregivers in paid work around the country will breathe a sigh of relief at the announcement of better paid parental leave today.

“Anything we can do to make the first few weeks more relaxed for families with newborns is the right move for New Zealand” Council of Trade Unions Secretary Sam Huggard said.

“We know that families are often juggling work, family commitments, and wages that haven’t kept up with rising living costs. The arrival of a new baby is a precious bonding time for a family, but it also can be very stressful. The evidence shows that giving baby and caregivers more time at home sets them all up for better outcomes when Mum and Dad return to paid work. Having new parents return to paid work when they are rested and feel ready is better for workplaces too” he said.

“No matter what people do for work, family should come first. I’m a parent of young children myself, and I know how much easier it is to transition back to work when you’ve had enough time to settle in at home. Extending paid parental leave is a welcome move for young families all around New Zealand, and we think employers will recognise it’s the right thing to do too.”

Public Health Association widely misrepresented on Ronald McDonald House Charities

The Daily Blog
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“The Public Health Association strongly supports facilities for families of children in hospital with serious conditions receiving publicly funded health care. Our criticism is of the undesirable marketing of the fast food industry arising from the naming rights held by the McDonald’s brand”, says Warren Lindberg, Chief Executive of the Public Health Association.

“Funds to maintain the services provided to families come from community fundraising efforts and Ministry of Health subsidies as well as from the fast food industry. Yet by holding the naming rights, there is a powerful perception that the service is dependent on the generosity of McDonald’s. People are unaware of the funding sources and of the power of branding,” Lindberg says.

“It is time powerful figures in the food industry are willing to join us in changing the environments that promote ‘junk food’. If McDonald’s Restaurants (New Zealand) Limited and its corporate partners have any sense of social responsibility, they will continue to contribute to the delivery of such a valuable health service and give up the naming rights.”

Paradise Papers: NZ Govt urged to demonstrate leadership – Oxfam NZ

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The New Zealand Government has a huge opportunity to demonstrate leadership on the global stage in reforming the worlds rigged and unjust global tax system, Oxfam said today.

“The Paradise Papers have laid bare the extent to which multinationals and extremely wealthy individuals continue to exploit a broken global system that allows them to avoid paying their fair share of tax.” said Rachael Le Mesurier, Executive Director of Oxfam New Zealand.

“It’s time for the world’s political leaders to put the interests of the public – who are paying their fair share of taxes – over corporates and the super-rich and put a stop to tax scandals like this, once and for all,” she said.

“Tax avoidance fuels poverty and inequality everywhere. When the super-rich and corporations such as Apple and Nike avoid taxes, ordinary people – and particularly the poorest – pay the price as governments, especially in developing nations, increase their taxes or cut funding for vital public services.

“Tax cheats are robbing governments in the poorest countries of much-needed funding for clean water, education and healthcare. Corporate tax avoidance alone costs poor countries at least $100 billion every year – enough money to provide an education for 124 million children and prevent the deaths of at least six million children.

“When it comes to tax it is still one rule for the super-rich and another for everyone else,” said Le Mesurier. “This is unacceptable in a system that funnels tax revenue away from where it is needed most in developing nations – where many of these multi-nationals earn revenue.”

Oxfam is calling on the New Zealand Government to be part of a global solution for greater tax transparency and close the loopholes that allow companies and the super-rich to avoid tax.

Le Mesurier said Oxfam welcomes Labour’s commitment to establish a Tax Working Group and the opportunity it provides New Zealand to demonstrate leadership on a global scale in reforming the worlds broken tax system. Oxfam urges that the terms of reference for the group include NZ joining the global momentum for greater tax transparency.

“New Zealand has a real opportunity here to work with other political leaders and shut down tax havens by establishing a global tax haven blacklist; end tax secrecy so that its clear if corporations and the super-rich pay their fair share of tax; and kick start a new round of tax reforms that rebuild the tax system in the interests of the majority and not the few.

“Tax transparency is an essential step in fighting global tax avoidance. We need multinationals to publish their profits, taxes and assets for every country in which they operate. Making this information public would mean we don’t have to rely on leaks and scandals to find out if companies are paying their fair share.

“It’s time for global corporations to clean up their act. Until real action is taken, the super-wealthy and big companies will continue to shirk paying their fair share of taxes – and ordinary people and the world’s poorest pay the price.”

NZPFA aiming for world-beating agreement for women members – CTU

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The New Zealand Professional Footballers Association (NZPFA) has the support of union members as they go into bargaining with New Zealand Football this week. “I think it’s expected by most people now that women receive equal treatment and respect in professional sport” said Council of Trade Unions (CTU) Secretary Sam Huggard. “NZPFA is affiliated to the CTU and is asking that women union members playing for the Football Ferns have the same terms and conditions as the All Whites. This will be a world-leading contract for women footballers.”

“The Football Ferns are ranked 19th in the world, but professional football in New Zealand is not a profitable career for players. All the athletes are asking for is equal travel benefits to male players, and transparency about New Zealand Football’s ethical obligations and plans for women’s football.”

“It’s about basic respect for these exceptional women. The Football Ferns put in sweat and tears before and after their day jobs to represent their country. They wear the same silver fern on their uniform as the male players, and their efforts pay off on the international stage for New Zealand. In 2017, it’s time to say thank you, Football Ferns, for the sacrifices you make for your sport and your country. You deserve a good employment agreement that recognises your hard work and professionalism” Mr Huggard said.

Crowdfunded Billboards Play on Labour Slogan to Protest TPPA – ActionStation

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Hundreds of people have crowdfunded nine giant billboards around the country in a protest against the TPPA11.

The billboards address Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, urging her not to sign the TPPA11 if it has Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) clauses in it that would allow multinationals to sue our government. Ardern flies to Vietnam later this week for TPPA11 negotiations.

“It’s imperative that the parties making up the new government stick to their pre-election promises and stand strong against the most dangerous aspects of this deal, including clauses which would allow big businesses to sue our government for passing laws to protect and improve workers rights, public health and the health of our rivers, ocean and wildlife” says Rick Zwaan, campaigner at ActionStation.

“It’s been great to see Jacinda Ardern say she’ll do her ‘utmost’ to push against the dangerous ISDS clauses, and these billboards are intended to demonstrate the public support for her to do that” says Rick.

The billboards were funded by over 350 everyday New Zealanders in less than a week. Over 7,000 have also signed an open letter addressed to Ardern urging her to put people and planet before private profit in the negotiations.

“New Zealanders don’t want a deal that puts the interests of big business before everyday people and our precious planet” says Rick.

ActionStation and partner campaign group It’s Our Future campaigned strongly against the TPPA agreement when it was being first negotiations, criticising the secrecy of the talks and the effect it would have on the government’s ability to pass laws in favour of everyday people and our precious planet.

TPPA 11 is known as the “Zombie TPPA”, because it was dragged back from the dead despite the USA pulling out of the original TPPA deal earlier this year.

“We understand that some elements of the agreement are likely to be suspended (pending the re-entry of the USA), such as extensions on patents and data-exclusivity for life-saving pharmaceuticals. For the most part, however, the TPPA-11 remains the same as the original TPPA, including the ISDS clauses which would allow big business to sue our government. As it stands, the TPPA11 is a bad deal for New Zealand.” says Stephen Parry, coordinator for It’s Our Future.

The locations of the billboards are:

Auckland – 1 Great North Road, 350 Queen Street, 213 Symonds St, Cnr Broadway and Remuera Rd, Cnr Stanley St and Beach Rd

Hamilton – Cnr Grey St and Bridge St

Tauranga – Hewletts Rd

Wellington – Aotea Quay (near the stadium)

Christchurch – 485 Colombo St

Malcolm Evans – Another Mass Murder in America

Malcolm Evans
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How dare National claim an ‘erosion of democracy’

Martyn Bradbury
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I’m sorry, what the fuck?

National clashes with Labour: ‘erosion of democratic rights’

National has accused the new Government of an unprecedented and alarming erosion of democratic rights after disagreement over committees which play a crucial role in passing laws.

Labour has hit back – saying its plan to have 96 select committee places comes after National leader Bill English warned of his party’s size and the effect it will have on how Parliament operates.

National MP and shadow leader of the house Simon Bridges said it was normal for places on select committees to be roughly equivalent to the size of Parliament, or around 120 MPs.

…you sanctimonious arseholes!

An erosion of fucking democracy?

Really?

You being forced to work constructively in the Select Committee process after threatening to disrupt it is an erosion of democracy?

Are you fucking kidding me?

  • Remember when the fucking National Party robbed Environment Canterbury of their democratic right to allocate water so that the National Party Corporate Farmer mates could steal it all and continue to pollute it?
  • Remember when National rammed through under urgency the Hobbit Law to write employment law for a trans national?
  • Remember when National rammed through the TPPA legislation despite saying they wouldn’t until NZers saw the actual text of the deal?
  • Remember when National rammed through the Search and Surveillance powers for the Police to retrospectively clear them from the illegal spying conducted during the Urewera ‘terrorism’ case and allowed for warrantless searches?
  • Remember when National banned Prisoners from voting?
  • Remember when National rammed through the Mass Surveillance Powers under urgency?
  • Remember when National rammed through the technical demands on all telecommunications companies to provide back door access to their systems by the GCSB and are gagged from telling their own customers that their privacy has been breached?
  • Remember when National were exposed as running a black ops team out of the PMs Office using hate speech merchants like Cameron Slater to denigrate public servants?
  • Remember when it was exposed that the SIS colluded with the PMs Office to falsely smear the Leader of the Opposition months before the 2011 Election?

Remember all of that?

And these fuckers have the fucking audacity to claim that being forced to be contrastive in the Select Committee process rather than stop the new Governments agenda is an erosion of democracy?

FUCK THEM!

FUCK THEM!

FUCK THEM!

If you are stupid enough to believe this bullshit, you are either a coma patient, a Trump supporter or a NZ Herald reader.

Mic drop.

In defence of Guy Fawkes – let’s take it back for the Activist Left

Martyn Bradbury
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I’m sorry.

I like Guy Fawkes.

I do.

The joy of my younger years running around with double-happys and sparklers and moon rockets have been all but reduced to sparklers these days as we have relentlessly moved to reduce the more dangerous elements of fireworks but the idea behind Guy Fawkes is one so beautiful that I don’t want it to leave us.

Yes, I believe we should celebrate Parihaka Day as a National Holiday as was proposed by the Māori Party and has been respectfully picked up by Marama Davidson for the Greens.

It makes far more sense for us to celebrate as a national day the importance of what happened at Parihaka and it would do more to build us as a people than any other symbolism could.

And yes, I think public fireworks should be reserved for an offical Matariki celebration the way Wellington has decided. 

I’m for those two ideas, BUT I  do not want us to lose the rebellion that Guy Fawkes represented.

When I burn the Guy on my bonfire, I’m not burning some Catholic zealot from 400 years ago, I’m burning the 1%, I’m burning neoliberalism, I’m burning vested corporate interests, I’m burning the deep state and I’m burning the 5 Fucking eyes.

The symbolism that we the people can blow up Parliament is absolutely essential to activism in a world where thought crimes are now enough for the State surveillance apparatus to start spying on you.

Celebrate the importance of peaceful resistance with a National Parihaka Day, celebrate Matariki with public firework but I refuse to allow our symbolic celebration of outright rebellion against a corrupt Parliament to be lost.

We should as the Activist Left, take back Guy Fawkes Day and make the symbolic burning of the 1%, neoliberalism, vested corporate interests, the deep state and the 5 Eyes a fundamental part of the celebration.

In the words of V from V for Vendetta, ‘People should not be afraid of their governments, governments should be afraid of their people”

As a nation of sheep, we need more symbolic rebellion, not less.

You can take my sparkler out of my dead cold hands.

Dave Macpherson – Cops the de facto mental health crisis go-to agency

The Daily Blog
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A mainstream news story last week highlighted the abject failure of this country’s mental health services to be available when they are desperately needed.

A young Greymouth man attempted suicide while in the midst of a possible cannabis-induced psychotic episode; but rather than a mental health crisis team arriving, Caleb – fighting for his life at that point – is attended by Police, who help resuscitate him and then find two cannabis plants in his back yard.

The cops do take Caleb to the acute psychiatric ward at Greymouth Hospital, but not before they charge him with three charges relating to the cannabis plants. He gets out after 5 days, but gets no ongoing support from the DHB’s mental health services for another nine months, despite a treatment plan calling for community mental health support for Caleb from the time he leaves Hospital.

He does however, end up with three convictions, three months’ community detention and nine months’ probation. While he’s off the cannabis, he’s yet – after 10 months – to hear what has happened with the court-ordered drug and alcohol counselling that he was supposed to attend after his sentencing.

In 2015 Vaughan Te Moananui, was shot and killed by Police in front of his family home in Thames. Vaughan was a community mental health patient of Waikato DHB at the time, and clearly going through a psychotic episode. The mental health crisis team took some hours to travel up to Thames from Hamilton, and the police had the responsibility of dealing with the immediate situation.

A former Police ‘crisis negotiator’ said Police often look for a convenient charge to lay against someone in Caleb’s situation, so they can get them into the cells where they can be restrained and assessed once mental health services become available.

Police are called out to ‘mental health’ situations around 60,000 times a year – about once every 5 minutes somewhere around the country – but to date are not trained to recognise or deal with mental illness. Nearly 20,000 of these are ‘suicide callouts’.

Every cop who has discussed this issue in the last several years has pointed to the health authorities’ failure to provide mental health crisis services to any realistic extent.

Shortly after the terrible Bremner murder/suicide deaths in late 2015 in Otorohanga and Kawhia, I attended a ‘community health forum’ in Otorohanga. A community health worker described a recent case where she had been asked to help a potential suicide victim late on a Fridayafternoon. After calling the Hamilton-based mental health services number, she was advised to ‘keep an eye on the person in trouble over the weekend and call again on Monday if he wasn’t any better’!!!

Waikato region, with a population of around 400,000 and driving times of up to 3 hours from Hamilton, has two mental health crisis teams. Sadly, it won’t be different from other regions.

The previous Government, continuing their pathetically inadequate response to the need, finally approved to start next year three (yes three) ‘pilot’ mental health crisis units for the whole country, comprising a paramedic, a cop and a mental health worker.

The new Government has identified a large range of urgent measures needed in the mental health space – we are unsure if this initiative will be urgently expanded, or even kept, but it is as sure as hell needed!

David Macpherson is TDB’s mental health blogger. He became involved in mental health rights after the mental health system allowed his son to die. He is now a Waikato DHB Member.

Mana: The Movement Rolls on

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“Let me start by congratulating Jacinda Adern. She hauled the Labour Party out of the morgue, slapped some life into them and blew away the tired old National government to become Prime Minister of a new coalition government with NZ First and the Greens. They’ve got big challenges ahead of them and they’ve started off with a hiss and a roar”

MANA had an excellent hui yesterday. We had a good review of the campaign and laid down some challenges for ourselves for the next few years.

“MANA has not committed to a parliamentary future at this time. That decision will be made in due course. In the meantime MANA will focus on keeping the home-fires burning in the communities we serve, being the voice for those who have no say, and the conscience of those who step across the line”

“MANA has always played a strong role in community action, supporting those in need through social services, housing, health, fighting the P, education and even community business development, and that will continue and grow.

“We are committed to maintaining and building on our networks through MANA News, Facebook, and regular slots on mainstream media as well.

“And as MANA leader I will be the spokesperson for MANA’s development, and the one who will hold those in power accountable for the decisions that impact on our people, in a way that others won’t do”

“In closing, I wish to make mention of the selfless work and energy given by Māori Party President Tukuroirangi Morgan to create a platform for MANA and the Māori Party to work together during the election campaign. His commitment to the kaupapa of Mana Māori Motuhake may have not been realised, but he has at least challenged us all to be open to the possibility of it happening in the near future.

Time for Waikato DHB Chair to show accountability in spending debacle and resign – ASMS

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“It’s becoming increasingly obvious that Waikato District Health Board Chair Bob Simcock has to demonstrate accountability by resigning in order to help end the embarrassment over the excessive expenditure by the DHB’s former chief executive, which is only now coming to light,” says Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS).

Mr Powell was commenting on the public release of former Waikato DHB Chief Executive Nigel Murray’s expenses.  More information about the spending is detailed in media reports, including:

“Mr Simcock should have resigned over his failure to apply due diligence when appointing Nigel Murray in 2014.  Why did he ignore the flashing alarm bell over the fact that while in 2007 he was employed as Chief Executive of the former Southland District Health Board, he was also employed initially as a consultant and then as the Chief Executive of the Fraser Health Authority in Vancouver without either employer knowing of the other employment situation?  If this was not a serious flashing alarm bell, what would be?”  Dr Murray resigned his position with Southland DHB in October 2007 after the then Board Chair learned of this situation from media exposure.

“Why did Mr Simcock ignore the fact that Nigel Murray left Fraser Health under a cloud and why did he ignore the advice of Waikato senior doctor representatives not to appoint him based on his record at Auckland and Southland DHBs.”

Media coverage about his departure from Southland DHB – which included reports that he was doing consultancy work for Fraser Health Authority while also running Southland DHB –  included:

Mr Powell says that until now ASMS has not included the expenses scandal as a further reason for Mr Simcock’s resignation.

“But what has emerged from the release of Nigel Murray’s expenses receipts has caused us to change our mind.

“Why did Mr Simcock allow Nigel Murray to live in taxpayer funded accommodation for six months when normally this would be for one month?

“Why did Mr Simcock wait until July this year to investigate the expenses issue after being raised by courageous senior managers when the State Services Commissioner had raised concerns a year earlier over the failure of Nigel Murray to provide the standard expenses report required of all DHB chief executives?

Bob Simcock has previously confirmed that he had signing authority over Nigel Murray’s overseas travel and expenditure (https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/95605885/all-waikato-health-bosss-spending-under-microscope).

“Mr Simcock’s original decision to ignore flashing alarm bells over appoint Nigel Murray and his failures over the expenses debacle mean that he must resign.

“This fiasco is a public embarrassment to Waikato DHB and is an insult to the dedication of the overworked health professionals that keep patients’ safe despite this leadership scandal.  It is made worse by the Board Chair resembling a possum in the headlights.”

Statement by Waikato DHB elected member Dave Macpherson regarding Board Chair’s position

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There have been a number of public calls in recent days for the resignation of Waikato DHB Board Chair Bob Simcock, arising out of the $218,000 expenses claimed by former DHB CEO Nigel Murray, and the Board handling of that issue.

As a new Board member, I have had serious concerns about Board and organisational processes – relating to this issue, and to other matters – since I took up my position in December 2016.

Four weeks ago, I issued a public statement challenging Bob Simcock’s reported claim that he had the “confidence” of the DHB Board over his handling of the issue (see details below).  No information I have received since that time have caused me to change my view that I don’t have confidence in the Chair over this issue.

Further, the ongoing public debate over Mr Simcock’s position and actions has caused attention to drawn away from the important health issues facing our community and the DHB organisation specifically. Bob has dug his heels in, and stated that he is refusing to resign until he ‘is asked to.’

I am personally making it quite specific that I think Bob Simcock should resign from the position of Chair of the Waikato DHB as soon as possible.

He is doing our organisation no good by staying in the position, and causing the focus to be on himself and his position.

Waikato DHB has a new, interim, CEO who has the goodwill of staff, the Board and the community who know him. He needs a Board with as little baggage arising from past problems as possible, so he can be fully supported as he moves to sort out problems that have arisen in the last three years.

As Chair, Bob has tried to do his best for the DHB since he was appointed. However, the fact remains that some serious problems have occurred on his watch, and as the Chair appointed by the previous Government, he is accountable for them, and needs to accept that accountability.

 

(9/10/17) Explicitly, I don’t have confidence in the way you have handled this issue, for the following reasons:

  • The CEO is required to file an annual expenses return by August of each year. As you are the only person with the authority to approve the CEO’s expenses, I believe – with or without staff reports – you ought to have known that this had not been done from August 2015 onwards, and ought to have been taking action over this failure from that time – almost two years before you informed the Board of the concerns.
  • A second annual CEO expenses return was required to be filed in August 2016, but was not.
  • A former member of Parliament has publicly stated that she met with you prior to the Nigel Murray’s formal appointment to warn you of issues with Murray’s work as a CEO as his previous place of employment. She has stated that you rejected her warning, but would ‘keep an eye on the matter’ (my paraphrasing).
  • You have not required any report back from any of the overseas travel for Conferences and other matters that you authorised for the CEO, or were taken without authorisation. Such action would have demonstrated that you were ‘keeping an eye on’ the CEO.
  • When the 2015 and 2016 CEO expenses reports were finally filed late around Xmas 2016, you did not take any action to check that they were accurate or complete. It appears from public comments you have now made that those reports are very likely to have included unauthorised expenditure that is now going to be claimed back from the former CEO. Irregularities in these reports could have been found and addressed 9 months ago, had you fulfilled what I believe is your obligation to be on top of the CEO’s expenses, on behalf of the Board.
  • The fact that the Xmas 2016 media article you refer to highlighted the very high quantum of expenses set out in those returns, ought to have triggered checking or investigative action by yourself. That fact that you did not take any action at that point – that you have informed us about – has put the Board in some jeopardy, and perhaps the whole DHB organisation.
  • From information you have now given to the public, it seems that you informed the Ministry of Health (and perhaps other Government entities) of the staffs concerns about the CEO’s expenses some three weeks or more before you informed the Board. While I have no problem with you keeping the Ministry informed, I believe the Board should have been immediately informed of the information you had received – the Board is not an afterthought, it is a legally responsible part of the processes that ought to have been followed.
  • Following your first provision of information to the Board about the CEO’s expenses issue in July this year, the process being followed has not been made clear at several steps, until myself and other Board members have asked questions and requested responses.

 

David Macpherson is TDB’s mental health blogger. He became involved in mental health rights after the mental health system allowed his son to die. He is now a Waikato DHB Member.

TPPA – Jacinda Ardern’s foreshore and seabed moment

John Minto
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It’s like watching a car crash in slow motion.

Jacinda Ardern driving the battered vehicle of the New Zealand state, fuelled and powered by corporate henchmen and steered by their political representatives, down the narrow, one-way street of neo-liberal capitalism into another brick wall. It will emerge, more battered and shattered, with the chassis crumpled but most importantly for its corporate pit crew, it will be barely roadworthy. This act of self-destruction by Ardern will lower the barriers to further corporate plunder of the New Zealand economy.

Labour has always supported the TPPA but in the face of mounting public opposition it attacked the secrecy around the negotiations rather than the agreement itself. Under leader Andrew Little, Labour said it wanted to change the agreement to allow it to stop foreign speculators from buying New Zealand homes. But this was the extent of their criticism. In the background was Labour MP Phil Goff (the most right-wing Labour MP since Roger Douglas resigned) who was being kept informed of progress in the negotiations by National’s Tim Groser and carried the official “we support this” line.

(Daily Blog readers will remember Labour gave Goff permission to cross the floor in support of legislation backing the TPPA while Labour flustered about foreign house buyers)

Labour says it supports free trade and therefore supports the TPPA. But it’s not a free trade agreement. It is a bill of rights for foreign corporations to loot national economies. The economic benefit to New Zealand is just a billion dollars per annum by 2030.

Labour has defined its opposition to TPPA on the basis of stopping foreign speculators buying New Zealand homes. In doing so it ignores the neo-liberal project the agreement represents. It ignores the threats to New Zealand’s ability to regulate our economy in future. It sets aside concerns about the ISDS (Investor State Disputes Settlement) process whereby foreign corporations can sue the New Zealand government if laws are passed which, directly or indirectly, constrain corporate profits.

Such is the level of public opposition to this extension of power to foreign corporations that should Ardern carry on sleepwalking to the signing the TPPA it will forever blight her Prime Ministership.

It’s unfortunate for her that it has come so early in her leadership but that’s what politics has dished her up.  

This is Jacinda Ardern’s foreshore and seabed moment.

Political Caption Competition

The Daily Blog
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